1 Feb 2013

Whilst looking back on my summer holiday last year, its easy to see from the photos, how flowers have once again been the inspiration to create stitch pieces. These two textile pieces are done using the 'Drawn Thread' technique.

This is done by using a "counted" thread fabric, and literally pulling out some threads to create gaps. The remaining threads can be then machine or hand stitched, to create a "bar - like" effect, as seen. This is a hard thing to describe and explain...but if you would like to find out more, I suggest research online etc. I love it as a technique, as once you have "pulled" out the threads you want, you can then turn the piece into anything you like. I have seen many variations....but I chose Spring flowers. Thus the "bar - like" pieces became stems, and the bottom grass. In one piece, the top of the bars became Blue Bell type flowers, and the other Tulip style!

Really this technique can be the basis, for whatever design you like; its up to personal taste.

I decided to go one step further, by first space-dying my chosen fabrics. It give it that personal element.

These can then be used for future stitch pieces. Below I have included some inspiration; a photo taken by myself in a garden in Devon, then whilst there (sadly sitting in a caravan with the photograph, rather than drawing and painting it in real life - due to WET WET WET weather conditions)

Sometimes I think it can be easier to define what you want to focus on in a stitch piece, once you have painted it. It makes you "think" and "see" which points you like.........for example, as seen from my watercolour here, I love the bright flowers, and how they jump out from the green foliage.

This piece could be used as inspiration to stitch from........A focus could be on using various hand stitch types to create the flowers....I see lots of french and bullion knots here!